Why Choosing Natural Fashion Matters | Health, Environmental and Microplastic Impacts of Synthetic Fabrics

Why natural fashion matters today

Scientific research reported by the organisation Scienceinsights explains the multifunctionality of natural fibres both on your skin and in the environment. Natural and synthetic fibres differ most in how they interact with moisture and the skin. Plant-based textiles like cotton and bamboo can absorb and retain moisture, helping to wick sweat from the skin and reduce that uncomfortable, sticky feeling common with synthetics like polyester, which repel water and trap sweat. This difference is rooted in chemistry: the loosely organised molecular structure of natural fibres welcomes moisture, while polyester’s tightly packed structure keeps it out. As a result, natural fibres generate less static cling.

Natural fibres also excel at insulation thanks to their internal architecture. Hollow channels in cotton and curled cores in wool and cashmere trap air, creating a natural buffer against temperature changes. However, cotton’s insulative advantage vanishes when soaked, making it less suitable for high-intensity activity or heavy rain. Wool, on the other hand, retains some warmth even when damp due to its waxy coating.

Skin health is another key consideration. Cotton’s smooth, absorbent surface reduces friction and helps keep the skin drier — beneficial for those with eczema or sensitive skin. Wool and synthetics may irritate some people, while bamboo fibres show promise for skin comfort and allergy relief, though research is still emerging.

Finally, natural fibres like wool resist odour far better than synthetics. Wool’s scaly, wax-coated surface makes it inhospitable to odour-causing bacteria and can even trap and remove them when you remove the garment. This means wool clothing can be worn multiple times between washes, saving water and energy and offering a practical, sustainable advantage.

In short, natural fibres matter because they break down more easily, come from renewable sources, and generally have a smaller environmental footprint than synthetics. Choosing materials like cotton, hemp, flax, bamboo, wool, or silk helps the textile industry use fewer harmful chemicals and create less waste, making fashion more sustainable and better for the planet.

Why more brands are choosing organic monomaterials

Organic monomaterials are textiles composed entirely of a single organic material. In contrast, blended textiles are produced by fusing two or more distinct fibres — for example, combining cotton with polyester — to integrate the strengths of each component. While blends aim to optimise aspects like durability, elasticity, or comfort, organic monomaterials offer a simpler composition with unique benefits.

Organic monomaterials offer notable advantages in the fashion industry. They tend to have a lower environmental impact as processing them requires fewer resources, such as energy and water. Then, their uniform composition makes them significantly easier to recycle than blended textiles. Additionally, garments made from monomaterials often exhibit greater quality and longevity due to their consistent colour, texture, and durability. They are also typically easier to care for, enhancing their sustainability over time.

That being said, we have curated a list of brands that craft beautiful garments made with natural fibres, respecting your health and our Earth.

LES RACINES DU CIEL

Les Racines du Ciel‘s philosophy is built on a critique of unchecked rationalism, which they argue has driven the fashion industry to become the second most polluting sector in the world. They call out three main problems: environmental devastation, exploitative labour conditions in textile manufacturing, and reducing animals to mere raw materials.

In response, this brand dreams of a different kind of clothing — one that actually does you good. They anchor their approach in three pillars of respect: for people, for animals, and for nature. This translates into creating timeless, high-quality pieces meant to be worn and loved for years, not seasons. As Nathalie Goyette, co-founder of Les Racines du Ciel, says: “Making 100% free from synthetic fibres sweaters is a matter of respect : respect for nature, animals and human beings. This is the baseline of Les Racines du Ciel. A fibre that cannot be returned or absorbed by nature will surely cause damage: soil pollution, animal death and cancer for us. This makes the world sad and pessimistic, with all these dark images that remain in our minds. The goal of Les Racines du Ciel is to leave as few traces on Earth as possible. Our clothes should be able to be part of the circle of life. This is what we call real luxury and beauty.”

Beyond the product, they want to rebuild an emotional connection with the customer. By making people aware of what their clothes are really worth — socially and environmentally — they hope to foster a mindset of “living better with less”: a thoughtful, intentional lifestyle where clothing is part of a meaningful relationship with what you own, not just disposable consumption.

nygårdsanna

nygårdsanna is a Swedish brand built on craftsmanship, natural materials, and timeless design. Every garment is made using high-quality fabrics like linen, wool, and ramie, with a strong focus on durability and functionality. Rather than following trends, the brand creates understated pieces that are designed to complement the wearer and work across different body shapes.

The collections are inspired by nature, traditional workwear, and classic menswear, resulting in muted, versatile colours and silhouettes that can be mixed and matched season after season. This thoughtful approach means the garments remain relevant and wearable for years. For Anna Bengtsson, founder of nygårdsanna: “Using only natural materials was always given. When I have the material in my hand, it will tell me what it wants to become, I and simply create it. Since I put so much time and care into every garment, I feel that it deserves to be made from the best material I can find, and those are the natural ones. Synthetic materials do not speak to me in the same way, and the negative environmental impact of its production is not anything I want to be a part of.”

Sustainability is at the heart of the brand. Nygårdsanna believes the most sustainable clothing is clothing that lasts – pieces that are worn, repaired, and even passed down through generations. Customers are encouraged to mend their garments, and the brand even provides spare fabric, buttons, or wool to help extend their lifespan. Although production takes place in carefully selected factories in Estonia and Latvia, the emphasis remains on exceptional craftsmanship, ethical production, and creating clothing with lasting value.

“I grew up with women around me that taught me that when making clothes, one should use materials that can allow the garments to live as long as possible, be comfortable against the skin, and easy to care for. I get a lot of inspiration from the traditional folk costume of my hometown, and it is made from linen and wool. The folk costume is passed down through generations and repaired or altered when needed. It is the same philosophy that I follow when designing my collections, making conscious choices in every step of the process, always starting with selecting the right material.” – Anna Bengtsson highlights.

SPIRIT OF THREADS

SPIRIT OF THREADS is rooted in slow fashion, celebrating natural materials, traditional craftsmanship, and ethical production. Each piece is handmade by local artisans using materials such as wild silk, yak wool, sheep wool, pashmina, linen, and organic cotton sourced from the Himalayas, India, and Norway.

The fabrics are dyed using natural ingredients, including indigo, eucalyptus, walnuts, tea, flowers, leaves, bark, herbs, and other plant-based extracts. Because every stage of the process is done by hand — from spinning and weaving to dyeing — each product has its own unique character.

Rather than prioritising speed and mass production, the brand embraces a slower, more thoughtful approach to fashion. It works closely with small manufacturers and cooperatives, supporting traditional craft techniques while ensuring ethical practices that benefit both people and the environment.

At its core, this brand believes that quality, sustainability, and craftsmanship should take precedence over fast fashion, creating products that are made to last and encouraging a more conscious way of producing and consuming clothing.

OSHADI

Oshadi is a regenerative fashion brand that is rethinking the entire clothing supply chain — from seed to finished garment. Founded in South India, the brand is involved in every stage of production, including cotton farming, spinning, weaving, natural dyeing, and garment construction, allowing it to create fully traceable clothing.

At the heart of the brand is a 250-acre regenerative cotton farm, where farming practices are designed to restore soil health, increase biodiversity, and reduce environmental impact. Oshadi works closely with local farmers and artisans, combining traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern sustainable manufacturing while supporting local communities through fair wages and transparent working practices.

This brand prioritises natural fibres, timeless design, and durability over seasonal trends. It minimises waste by repurposing fabric offcuts, composting organic waste, encouraging repairs, and designing garments that are made to last. By keeping almost its entire supply chain within 100 kilometres of its headquarters, Oshadi also reduces transportation emissions while maintaining close relationships with everyone involved in the production process. Overall, Oshadi demonstrates how fashion can be regenerative, transparent, and rooted in both environmental responsibility and traditional craftsmanship.

How Synthetics Impact the Environment

The European Environment Agency has observed that producing and using synthetic textiles puts pressure on the environment in many ways. This includes releasing greenhouse gases, polluting the air and water, consuming land and resources, and involving chemicals that can cause further harm. The specific effects can vary depending on the type of fibre being used.

Their study reveals that Nylon stands out among synthetic fibres for having the greatest impact per kilogram on climate change and fossil fuel consumption. On the other hand, cotton has the highest impact per kilogram for land and water use, eutrophication, and mineral resource depletion. This highlights that both materials have significant, yet different, environmental footprints.

But the release of microplastics might be the best-known problem associated with the production of synthetics. Synthetic textiles release microplastics at every stage of their life cycle, from production and use to washing and final disposal by landfill, incineration, or recycling. Each year, an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 tonnes of microplastic fibres from textiles enter the marine environment.

Synthetics and Our Health

But if synthetics are so toxic to our planet, we cannot assume our health will be uncompromised, given that we physically wear these fibres on our skin. In fact, studies have shown that microfibers can move in and out of our bodies, even reaching our internal organs. The type, size, and shape of the plastic fibres affect how harmful they can be.

Researchers show that this transmission can occur in two main ways: inhalation and ingestion. Synthetic fibres can in fact penetrate quite deeply into the lungs. Analysis by Dr Fransien van Dijk at Groningen University finds that an average household produces about 20 kilograms of dust annually, with roughly 6 kilograms consisting of microplastics. Her work showed that nylon microfibers, in particular, can slow the growth and development of airway cells, an effect linked to substances that leach from nylon.

How Our Bodies Fight Microplastics

In an attempt to protect our health, our immune system works to remove unwanted particles or germs from the body by ‘eating’ them, a process called phagocytosis. This helps clear out even larger particles. But when we inhale too many plastic fibres, our bodies cannot keep up, and these fibres can accumulate in our organs and tissues. How dangerous the fibres are depends on their size and shape. Thin fibres can travel deep into the lungs, while longer fibres are harder for the body to remove and can be more harmful to lung cells.

The other way is through ingestion. It is estimated that people ingest between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles each year through food alone. These tiny plastics can lead to gut inflammation, cellular stress, and other digestive issues. Studies in both animal models and human cells show that microplastics can accumulate in organs such as the liver and digestive tract, causing inflammation, cellular damage, and other health problems.